They just clog ours. I put ice and citrus in the disposal sometimes to freshen it up, but have never had a problem with the sharpness of the blades. However, a quick google search advised just that (ice and citrus) to sharpen the blades as well:http://www.ehow.com/how_4529424_shar...al-blades.html

I used to put them in the garbage disposal until I saw a PSA from the local utility saying not to. They didn't say why, but I would assume they must be bad for the sewer pipes or something. I've got a compost pile now anyway, so that's where they go now.

I used to put them in the garbage disposal until I saw a PSA from the local utility saying not to. They didn't say why, but I would assume they must be bad for the sewer pipes or something. I've got a compost pile now anyway, so that's where they go now.

Its because the only think worse than aligators in the sewer is aligators jazzed up on cafeine in the sewer.

Coffee grounds: Can clog the spinning 'blades' and are a hassle to try to get out (they aren't always uniformly ground and can get larger pieces stuck and stop up the whole thing).

Citrus peels and ice: Very recomended by me who uses the disposal more often than I should (so, anecdotal evidence).

Pasta/Rice/Potatoes: STARCH! Starch is a glue, starch can clog your disposal, then run into your pipes, then glue them shut until you have rice/water/dirt volcano in your kitchen at 3am , when there are no plumbers and your cats are staring at your like your a lunatic as you try to stop it and oh dear god the water...

Sorry, I was having flashbacks. Don't do it, it will seriously screw up your system resulting in either a very expensive plumbing bill or a very aggravated home owner spending two hours trying to take apart a sink drain system to clear it all out (only to have it back up again, because glue).

I eat a hard-boiled egg with breakfast each morning and I dump the shell down it without thinking about it. I wonder if that's a problem?

I'd heard that eggshells were good for keeping the disposal clean. Some plumbers insist they're bad. While I can't find any good evidence that they actually keep the disposal clean, there's no consensus among the experts and manufacturers. Some advice as to what one can put in a disposal is so limiting it reminds me of people who thoroughly rinse their dishes before putting them in the dishwasher - it makes me question the point of using these appliances. If all I can put in the disposal is waste so small that it wouldn't clog an ordinary drain, why would I want a garbage disposal? (Mine came with the place.) It would be like a owning hair dryer I could only use if my hair was slightly damp.